Things seem to be keeping my anger simmering

[sparkindarkness]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7796663.stm

To quote dear old Auntie:
Pope Benedict XVI has said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour is just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.

Sigh.

You're kidding right? Seriously? Really? Because it's ridiculous to such a level that it's almost ALMOST comical. Instead it just stands to piss me off and depress me.

I'm looking in the mirror now. Guy, 27, great hair, fabulous taste in clothes, inclined to be a bit obsessive. Lives in house with husband and pet. Husband, less great hair, pretty blue eyes, has too many hobbies and is extremely cute. Daily routine - exactly the same as our neighbours - food, work, leisure. Priorities - pretty much the same as everyone else's - family, friends, comfort, enjoyment. Agenda - love, life, happiness.

What is so damned threatening? What is so damned objectionable? What is so damned horrifying about us that we're on par with the extinction of thousands of species and major ecological disaster? Why is the thought of us even existing as horrifying as the thought of the major climate change disasters that would be brought on by mass deforestation?

I pretty much think I'm a nice guy, do more good than evil in this world. Beloved is a damned saint sometimes. And we're a damned threat to bloody humanity? We're so horrible humanity has to be SAVED from us?

I just don't get it. I just can't even fit it in my head. What is so horrible about us that the (supposed and alleged) religious and moral leader of 1.1 BILLION people feels the need to say humanity needs saving from us.

There's too much of this stuff to let it bother me - but good gods sometimes it wears you down. And it's frightening. He is supposed to be the supreme moral and religious authority for 1.1 billion people - and he's telling them, and the world, that me and mine is a threat on par with utter disaster- something humanity has to be saved from. That's just plain frightening and damned depressing.

Why, in the name of all that is holy, can they not be content to just let us live our nice, normal lives?

Comments

[elrohana.livejournal.com]

My ex didn't used to like gay men. He thought they were creepy and wrong. Then he started working in a music venue where 2 of the male staff were gay (but not a couple). One day, one of them (VERY good looking) looked my ex straight in the eye, and said, "its a real shame you're straight, as I really have a crush on you". When he came home and told me the story, I thought the ending would be, gay guy being rushed to A&E. Nope. Ending is, ex no longer has any problem with gays at all. Turns out it was a combination of fear of the unknown (he'd never really talked to any gay guys before that) and his childhood as a JW. Even bigots can change, Sparky, love, there is still hope in the world. *hugs*

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

That's what I cling to. I think the vast vast vast majority of low level homophobes change when they meet a gay person and suddenly "whoa, this person is not an alien from the planet zog! WHO KNEW?!

I cling to this hope that, step by step, as people realise gay folks aren't some alien other - that we're their friends and neighbours and colleagues and siblings and children - then people will open their eyes to how ridiculous homophobia is

[lilisonna.livejournal.com]

Yup. This happened to a friend of mine, actually. He was pretty firmly anti-gay for a while (grew up with it, etc) and then he woke up one day and said, "You know, I know people who are gay. They're pretty cool. I can either not have them as my friends -- and I like having them as my friends -- or I can get over myself." And he did.